Using Fasteners – Important Tips To Keep In Mind

The use of stainless steel in the production of fasteners makes sense: the properties of stainless steel ensure that these fasteners are not only capable of resisting corrosion and withstanding hot and cold conditions, but also ensure their easy recyclability. As such, the use of perfect stainless steel fasteners has considerably become popular. Nonetheless, it should be understood that an improper use of these fasteners can prevent their functionality and features from being fully displayed. The following are some mistakes that can lead to such results:

Not paying attention to the grade of the stainless steel – whilst all stainless steel screws Australia have a higher resistivity to corrosion and the like, there are different grades of stainless steel – and some provide better resistivity than others (of course, they are also more expensive as a result). When purchasing fasteners, it is important to consider the other factors that may affect the fasteners (such as the environmental conditions). For example, environments that are either moist or saturated with salts constantly will naturally warrant the use of more resistant metals. The grade 200 series of stainless steel, for example, is lacking in chrome and this can decrease their resistance to rusting. The 300 grade series, such as the grade 316 or 304 stainless steel, on the other hand, boasts of higher resistivity.

Forgetting to tend to exposed surfaces – even if the nuts and bolts you use in your construction project boast of the some of the best rust-resistant properties, if you fail to properly account for potentially exposed surfaces, you will end up with rusted fasteners nonetheless. This is because most rust-resistant properties lie in the outermost coating of most metals, and if that protective coating is broken through, the inner metal is actually quite prone to rusting. This is why it is important to make sure that exposed surfaces are protected from decay through the use of paint or a coating of more resistant minerals.

Failing to clean regularly – stainless steel benefits from periodic cleaning, as this prevents dust and other substances from permanently settling on the metal and ruining its protective coating. If the construction is external, and you cannot find time to clean the fasteners, it might make sense to allow rainwater do the job for you.

Not accounting for galvanic corrosion – if you have never heard of the term, galvanic corrosion refers to an electrochemical process whereby two metals that come into contact with each other corrode the other. Stainless steel can be a victim of this process, which means that if your fasteners come into contact with another metal and electricity, they risk corroding. To reduce the chances of this happening, it helps to take measures such as using nylon washers.